Abrading machine



Aug. 13, 1929. IGVACKERLYI I 1,724,544

ABRADING MACHINE Filed Sept. 14, 1926 Patented Aug. 13, i229.

rinses siren rs at site.

DONALD G. ACKEELY, OF WILKINSBUBG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO THE UNIONSWITCH 6t SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OFPENNSYLVANIA.

ABRADING MACHINE.

Application filed September 14, 1926. Serial No. 135,465.

My invention relates to abrading machines and more particularly tomachines for abrading the surface of materials in disk form.

One object of my invention is to provide a machine for automaticallyabrading the surface of the elements used in rectifying apparatuswherein the rectifying function is performed by means of memberscomposed of metal having a metal compound form thereon. These membersare OI'CllIlflr narily of disk form and have an opening near the centerthereof. In one type of rectifier the disks are composed of copperhaving copper oxide formed thereon. In the manufacture of these disksthe copper disk becomes coated on one surface with cuprous oxide andthis oxide is in turn covered with cupric oxide- Before the rectifiercan be used the cupric oxide must be removed and it is also advantageousto remove as much of the cuprous oxide as is possible without 1n ur1ngthe contact surface of the copper and the cuprous oxide. I provideapparatus for accomplishing this result effectively.

I will describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and thenpoint out the novel features thereof in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a plan view, partiallydiagrammatic, showing one form of apparatus embodying my invention. Fig.2 is a sectional View on the line IIH of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectionalview of one form of abrasive sifting apparatus for use with the machineshown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line IVIV ofFig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing, in side elevation, one of thegrinding wheels of the apparatus illusrated in Fig. 1, together with thebracket which supports the shaft upon which the wheel is mounted. 7

Similar reference characters refer similar parts in each of the severalviews.

Referring to Fig. 1, the reference character A designates a stationarysupporting table which is itself supported by any suitable means notshown. Rotatably mounted on the table A is a disk B thinner than thematerial which is to be abraded and provided with apertures 1 which areevenlv spaced and are equidistant from the center of the disk. Theseapertures are slightly larger thanthe rectifier disks 2. The disk B isrigidly secured to a vertical shaft 3 which is driven by any suitablemeans not shown. As here shown, a collar 25, fastened to the shaft 3 bymeans of a pin 24, is secured to the disk B by means of rivets 26.

Mounted above the disk B by means of brackets 19 and on diametricallyopposite sides of the center are two magazines M arranged to registerwith the apertures 1 in the disk B. When the disk B rotates, disks 2drop into the apertures l and are carried along.

The abrading operation is performed by two abrading wheels 4 and 4Emounted above the'disk B and spaced 180 apart. is carried by a spindle2O journalled in a member 27 attached to the table A, as best shown inFig. 5. In similar manner wheel t i's carried by a spindle 2O journalledin member'27 The wheels 4 and 45 are driven at a definite speed relationwith respect to the disk B by means of suitable gearing G here shown asa pinion'21 attached to shaft 3 and meshing with two gears 22 and 22rigidly attached to the confronting ends of spindles 20 and 20respectively. The wheels 4: and 4 are made of any suitablerigid materialand the outer peripheral surfaces are covered by rings 5 of resilientmaterial such as rubber. Over each ring 5 is secured fine metalscreening 6 whichforms the abrading surface. Small metal strips 17secured to the table A are arranged to prevent the disks 2 from beingthrown out of the apertures 1 during the abrading operation. Associatedwith each abrading wheel is an abrasive reservoir R, which siftsabrasive material onto the disks 2 as they pass along from the magazinesM to the abrading wheels.

The abrasive reservoirs R are provided with sifting mechanism which isshown in detail in Figs. 8 and 4. Each reservoir R has vertical sidewalls and a bottom arranged in the form of a hopper. The bottom containsa slot 7 above which rotates a sifting mechanism composed of a pluralityof rods 8 secured in two end members 9. The members 9 are mounted on ashaft 10 which is rotatably mounted in journals 11. The shaft 10 isarranged to be frictionally driven from the disk B by means of a wheel12 having an outer surface 18 composed of some frictional material suchas rubber. WVhen disk B rotates, the reservoir B being full of abrasivematerial, the shaft 10 is rotated and causes the rods 9 to stir theabrasive so that it falls downward between the rods 9 and through theslot 7 onto the disks 2 which are being carried along by the disk B.

The table A contains two apertures 16 through which the disks 2 passafter leaving the abrading wheels. Rods 15 placed be neath the aperturesare arranged to collect the disks. The surplus abrasive is removed fromthe disk B by means of curved strips 14 which are secured to the table Aby means of supporting strips 18, and frictionally engage the disk B asit rotates.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The magazines M are filled with disks 2, the oxide surface being upward.Disk B is rotatedin a counter clockwise direction as shown by the arrowso that as seen in the drawing wheel 4 rotates in a clockwise and Wheel4* in a counter clockwise direction. The lowermost disk 2 in eachmagazine drops into the first aperture 1 in disk B which comes intoregistry with the magazine and is carried along under the reservoir Bwhere it is supplied with abrasive material. The abrasive may be finelypowdered emery or any other suitable material. The disk 2 then passesunder an abrading wheel where the coating of cupric oxide and a part ofthe cuprous oxide are ground off to a fiat surface, and then passes overan aperture 16 in the table A through which it falls and is caught onthe rod 15. The surplus abrasive material is removed from the disk B bythe strips 14.

The speed of the disk B and of the wheels 4 and 4 is so adjusted thatall of the'cupric oxide and as much of the cuprous oxide is removed, asis possible Without injuring the junction of the copper and the oxide.The size of wheel 12 may be varied so that the proper amount of abrasiveis supplied to a disk 2 while it is passing beneath the reservoir R. l/Vhen the parts are properly proportioned the machine v will furnishabraded disks as long as the magazines M and the reservoirs R aresupplied with material.

Although I have shown and described only one form of abrading machineembodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes andmodifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claimwithout departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

An abrading machine for oxide coated metal disks comprising a flathorizontal supporting table having an opening therein, an apertured diskarranged to rotate in a horizontal plane adjacent the upper face of saidtable, a magazine mounted above said rotatable disk for receiving asupply of said metal disks and supplying them one ata time to theapertures in said rotatable disk, an abrasive reservoir located oversaid rotatable disk adjacent the path of travel of said apertures, anabrading wheel comprising a cylindrical member of rigid material, alayer of resilient material on the outer peripheral surface of saidmember, and a reticulated metallic covering on said layer, means fordriving said wheel to engage said metal disks successively as saidrotatable disk is operated, means located above the opening in the tablefor removing abrasive material from the rotatable disk, and means belowsuch opening for collecting the abraded metal disks.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

DONALD G. ACKERLY.

